HHS band wins top honors in Chicago

Published: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, March 21, 2010 at 11:38 a.m.

CHICAGO -- The Hendersonville High School symphonic and concert bands won the top honor at the Festival of Gold competition for high school and middle school bands, adding to its string of musical awards that also includes honors at Carnegie Hall, Boston Symphony Hall and Kennedy Center.

The symphonic band performed three pieces including "A Movement for Rosa" and "Wild Nights" and the combined bands performed "Tribute" and "Galop." The HHS band also placed 27 musicians in the Honors Band including 10 of 15 first chairs.

After the top choral groups performed, the HHS band performed "Wild Nights" in the evening show. The Honor Band performed Second Suite in F for Military Band Opus 26 No. 2 and Chester, Overture for Band.

The band had been in Chicago since Friday rehearsing for the show under master clinicians and touring the city. The combined bands, made up of 115 members, were selected as the top concert band by a panel of judges, beating competitors from Brookfield, Wisc., Carlsbad, Calif., League City, Texas, and Anaheim, Calif.

The band arrived in Chicago on Friday after an overnight stay in Columbus, Ind.

The band spent Saturday in rehearsal at Elmhurst College then in a musical clinic. Later they toured Navy Pier and enjoyed supper at the renown at Gino's East Deep Dish Pizza.

On Sunday the musicians again had a clinic at the Westin Hotel, ate lunch at Chicago's Rock and Roll McDonalds and went to a banquet with other high school musicians in town for the Festival of Gold competition.

They were scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. Tuesday for home, with an expected arrival time of around 11 p.m.

<p>CHICAGO -- The Hendersonville High School symphonic and concert bands won the top honor at the Festival of Gold competition for high school and middle school bands, adding to its string of musical awards that also includes honors at Carnegie Hall, Boston Symphony Hall and Kennedy Center.</p><p>The symphonic band performed three pieces including "A Movement for Rosa" and "Wild Nights" and the combined bands performed "Tribute" and "Galop." The HHS band also placed 27 musicians in the Honors Band including 10 of 15 first chairs.</p><p>After the top choral groups performed, the HHS band performed "Wild Nights" in the evening show. The Honor Band performed Second Suite in F for Military Band Opus 26 No. 2 and Chester, Overture for Band.</p><p>The band had been in Chicago since Friday rehearsing for the show under master clinicians and touring the city. The combined bands, made up of 115 members, were selected as the top concert band by a panel of judges, beating competitors from Brookfield, Wisc., Carlsbad, Calif., League City, Texas, and Anaheim, Calif.</p><p>The band arrived in Chicago on Friday after an overnight stay in Columbus, Ind.</p><p>The band spent Saturday in rehearsal at Elmhurst College then in a musical clinic. Later they toured Navy Pier and enjoyed supper at the renown at Gino's East Deep Dish Pizza.</p><p>On Sunday the musicians again had a clinic at the Westin Hotel, ate lunch at Chicago's Rock and Roll McDonalds and went to a banquet with other high school musicians in town for the Festival of Gold competition.</p><p>They were scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. Tuesday for home, with an expected arrival time of around 11 p.m.</p>